A small flashlight is handy to have. It can be useful in numerous ways, such as locating and selecting a proper key at night, locating objects which have been dropped in places which are dimly lit or not lit at all and in many other ways. Desired features in a small light are portability, ease of operation, dependability and a neat, clean and functional appearance. The size of a pen is ideal, adapting the flashlight to be carried in a pocket or purse.
It is difficult to achieve the foregoing features in a flashlight of pen size. For instance, traditional flashlights often have a switch on the side of the tubular body, but such a switch would increase the size of a small flashlight beyond that of a pen. A pushbutton switch creates the possibility of accidentally operating the light in a purse or pocket, such that the batteries would be dead when the flashlight was needed.